Arizona soldier dies in Baghdad

A 22-year-old soldier from Lake Havasu City, Ariz. was killed in Iraq last week, U.S. military officials said Monday.

The soldier, Pfc. Anthony J. Sausto, died Thursday in Baghdad of wounds from enemy small arms fire, according to the Pentagon and the Army’s public affairs office in Fort Lewis, Wash.

He was promoted posthumously to private first class on Monday, a Fort Lewis spokeswoman said.

Sausto was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade of the 2nd Infantry Division out of Fort Lewis.

He was an infantryman who had deployed to Iraq in April. He was on his first tour after having reported to Fort Lewis in July 2006.

He had joined the Army in February 2006 in Lake Havasu City.

Sausto had spent most of his life in New Jersey but had moved to Arizona about two years ago with his mother, Nancy Sausto.